Enhanced light extraction

Abstract

There is herein described light generating electronic components with improved light extraction and a method of manufacturing said electronic components. More particularly, there is described LEDs having improved light extraction and a method of manufacturing said LEDs.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing a light emitting structure comprising:
 providing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer; a GaN layer and a sapphire layer; 
 providing a photoresist pattern in the areas to be defined as emitters by photolithography; 
 baking the photoresist pattern to allow it to reflow into a rounded form; 
 transferring the photoresist pattern by a dry etch technique, said techniques comprising inductively coupled plasma etch (ICP) or Reactive Ion Etching (RIE), into the TCO layer and then into the GaN layer; and 
 covering the light emitting structure with a thin insulating layer, said thin insulating layer comprising silicon dioxide or silicon nitride; wherein the light emitting structure is capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation and further wherein the TCO layer is located adjacent the light emitting structure through which electromagnetic radiation may be transmitted, wherein the TCO layer improves the amount of light capable of being extracted from the light emitting structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sapphire layer is textured to enhance light extraction. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the sapphire layer or insulating layer is removed to enhance light extraction and further comprising the steps of: removing the sapphire layer to enhance light extraction; and
 patterning the GaN surface to form a structure such as a refractive, diffractive, Fresnel or 2D photonic crystal structure. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the refractive index of the integrated transparent conductive contact layer is closely matched to the GaN layer; and wherein the light emitting structure is an LED. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of removing the sapphire layer or insulating layer to enhance light extraction.